Most Medicare Advantage plans provide you with worldwide emergency coverage. In many cases, a foreign hospital will bill your plan for you so you want to travel with your Medicare Advantage card. There is a chance that foreign healthcare providers will not bill your carrier. If that happens, you should keep receipts for all of your care. Your insurance agent can help you submit these to the Medicare Advantage company for reimbursement when you return home.
Again, let’s remember that is for emergency care. This coverage is designed for unexpected circumstances, not for routine doctor visits while you are out of the country.
Foreign Travel under Medigap Plans C, D, F, G & N
Some Medicare beneficiaries don’t like Medicare Advantage plans due to network restrictions or a favorite doctor who doesn’t participate in that plan. These individuals might choose to stay on Original Medicare, and choose one of the ten standard Medigap plans, like Plan F, that offer Foreign Travel benefits. The plan will pay up to 80% of your medical emergency costs after a $250 deductible.
This Foreign Travel benefit has some limits though. It will only pay for emergencies during the first 60 days that you are out of the country. It is also limited to a lifetime benefit of $50,000 though, and that can add up quickly. If you plan to be out of the U.S. for an extended period of time, we generally recommend that you visit your travel agent to learn about some of the short-term medical plans that are designed to give you extra emergency benefits while on international travel.
If you are looking for additional travel coverage, check out Geo Blue Travel Medical Insurance Plans here.
Contact me at 859-739-4406 or suzanne@medmyway.com today!
Suzanne Janosick
Medicare My Way
859-739-4406